House Democratic Leaders Unveil A Better Deal: Tools to Succeed in the 21st Century

Alexandria, Virginia – Today, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats held a press conference at Northern Virginia Community College to unveil the newest plank of their bold economic agenda, A Better Deal: Tools to Succeed in the 21st Century, which focuses on Democrats' commitment to investing in America's workers, pioneering future frontiers and modernizing government.

"Too many families have been left behind by technological change, and left wondering where they fit in the economy of tomorrow," said Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. "Democrats are offering the American people A Better Deal, with Better Jobs, Better Wages and A Better Future, that gives every working American the tools to succeed in the 21st Century economy. We are presenting a bold, ambitious, new plan to secure America's position as the unrivaled technological superpower of the future, while investing in our workers to ensure that all share in the benefits of our national progress."

“Right now, millions of Americans are working in jobs that didn’t even exist ten years ago and millions more are working in jobs that will not exist ten years from now. If we make the right choices now to invest in education and training and strengthen worker rights, we can develop the workforce and workplaces equipped to meet the demands of our rapidly changing economy,” said Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott. “I am pleased to be among my colleagues who will fight A Better Deal for working families.”

“Republicans have spent the last year giving working people a raw deal. They’re selling a raw deal on health care, a raw deal on taxes and a raw deal that makes the wealthy and well-connected stronger while working people sacrifice more than ever before,” said House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Co-Chair Congressman David Cicilline. “Democrats have A Better Deal - one that will create better jobs, better wages and a better future. We are going to invest in workers, break new ground and give the American people a government that is smart, effective and knows how to deliver results for the people it serves.”

“America has been defined by innovation, leadership and big ideas, but today we’re standing still as other countries invest in their future,” said Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. “Democrats commit to establishing the most critical platforms to reestablish American leadership by investing in R&D, science, technology and national infrastructure. We commit to a doubling of federal investments in scientific research, to the establishment of innovation hubs to better harness the ingenuity of our universities and national labs and to large scale-investments in our nation’s infrastructure. We must build, build, build, grow, grow, grow, and create jobs, jobs, jobs. This is our roadmap to a prosperous future for all Americans.”

“Our country needs a comprehensive education strategy to be competitive in the 21st Century,” said Congressman Don Beyer. “Northern Virginia is a hub of new apprenticeship opportunities and one of the most educated places in the country, so it is fitting that we unveiled the workforce development leg of House Democrats’ A Better Deal here today. These are the kinds of bold ideas that we should adopt to give our children their best shot at success in tomorrow’s economy.”

“To meet the challenges of the 21st Century, we need our government to embrace the best tools of the 21st Century, and that means modernizing our technology and the way we use it. By upgrading and securing our technical infrastructure, improving access to those resources and expanding the opportunities those investments create to more small businesses, we can create a more responsive, more effective government for every American family,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.

The full A Better Deal: Tools to Succeed in the 21st Century can be viewed here.